


The caught wolf

by KimsyWims



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Blood, Collars, Consensual Sex, Dark Past, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Feelings, Friendship, Gore, Hate, Leashes, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Memory Loss, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Rape/Non-con Elements, Restraints, Secret Relationship, Slavery, Tevinter, a dark life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-04-05 14:02:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 21,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4182594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimsyWims/pseuds/KimsyWims
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Danarius come for Fenris in Kirkwall, Hawke makes a decision to sell Fenris back to his master.</p>
<p>Betrayed and defeated Fenris return to be a slave under Danaris. There he meets with a new slave, another slave like him with markings over his body and he is there to readjust Fenris to a life of servitude. </p>
<p>The future is an unpredictable thing, Fenris broke free once, maybe he can do it again with the help of a man who will not stab him in the back when opportunity come... Or will he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The betrayal

The hanged man was empty, it really did not bode very well, usually there was someone around but today not even the barkeepers were to be seen, it made the dwarfs skin crawl, as if something really bad was just about to happen. "It really is you" There was a red haired elven woman sitting by a table, how Varric had even missed her he'd never know. She didn't even bother looking up at them more than a little glance, that feeling that something was wrong was growing larger by the moment.

The woman had green eyes, looking just like broody's eyes, it was clear this was his sister. Though it would be clear to anyone, not just Varric that this woman was up to something she might not wanted to do but something bad. They should probably leave sooner than later, however against his better judgement Varric kept his mouth shut to let Broody have a reunion with his sister. If he had spoken up maybe things would have been different now. _  
_

"Varania? I.. I remember you. We played in our masters courtyard while mother worked. You called me..." Fenris almost looked happy. Almost, Broody never really looked happy, this was just somewhere closer by the area of happy.

"Leto, that's your name" She sounded too cold, for this to be a reunion she sounded too.. stoic, as if she was not really happy at all to see her brother after all these years, shouldn't she be thrilled? at least, seemingly happy to see her brother again. Taken that broody was not exactly bouncing up and down of happiness, maybe it was a family  treat.

"What's wrong? Why are you so...?" 

That was it, if Fenris thought something was wrong, it was clearly time to leave. "I don't want to interrupt the family reunion but Broody, I say we should go" Varric said holding Bianca ready for an attack, standing stiffly beside Hawke.. 

"Ah my little Fenris, predictable as always." 

Varric saw Fenris' face drop by the voice, it looked as if someone had suddenly slapped him across the pace. So this was the former master the, Danarius. If it hadn't been time to run before, it surely was time to do so now. Varric shot a look to Hawke, trying to get her to take the initiative on moving out, but the woman was standing looking at the grey haired man descending the stairs. 

"I am sorry it came to this, Leto."

"You led him here!" 

"Now now Fenris, Don't blame your sister. She did what any good imperial citizen should."

This man reminded Varric about a villain from a book, even his voice was oozing of darkness and malice. It was surreal, a bit like if someone had written down an evil character in a book that had come alive straight in front of them, no wonder Fenris had ran away or that he was always brooding. The way he almost leisurely walked down the stairs, like a cat making ready to pounce a small bird. 

"I never wanted these filthy markings Danarius! But I won't let you kill me to get them."

Danarius laughed a rather evil laughter fitting for the evil magister "Oh how little you know, my pet. And this is your new mistress then? The champion of Kirkwall? Quite lovely."

That's it, now you'd hear it, give it to him Hawke! Tell him what a villain he is and that Broody is no one's slave. He thought and looked at Marian. She looked at Danarius, but she did not have that, glow about  her that she usually had before a big fight. She looked a bit indifferent, as if this wasn't her problem. Varric grew even more concerned over this all.

"If you want him, he's yours."

"What?!" The betrayal was written so deep in Fenris voice and the expression in his face.

"I thought I was the only one thinking that" Anders sounded pleased to be rid of the broody elf.

"No! Tell me you won't do this!" Well at least Daisy sounded mortified.

"You've got to be kidding right?" 

It was as if everyone had gone on crazy pills. Was Hawke out of her minds? Sure, Fenris had stood her down after that night they had shared, he had said something about it not feeling right for him. But surely she wouldn't sell him back to Danarius because he did not want a relationship with her? Yet here they stood and she seemed to already have made up her minds.

"Interesting, I will make it worth your while, of course, The power of the Imperium will be at your disposal." 

"Don't do this Hawke, I need you." 

"You're on your own Fenris." 

"I suppose I should not be surprised..."

"This is wrong"

Merrill's eyes were even wider than usual and there was tears shaping in them. Little Daisy who used blood magic and Fenris openly disliked thought this was wrong, and Varric could do nothing but agree this  _was_ entirely wrong. They couldn't just force Fenris back into slavery.

"Hawke... you can't possibly..." 

"Not your choice Varric." 

"What shall it be Fenris, will you throw your life away?" 

Fenris head was held low, defeated, Betrayed, hurt in every way possible. Varric resisted the urge to fight for him, they would needed Hawke if they were to stand a chance at all against these people, him and Daisy alone would simply get knocked out or killed before even they had managed to take out a handful of slavers. Fenris slowly shook his head and loyally walked over to Danarius his eyes to the floor and head hung low.

"Lovely, here is a token of my appreciation Champion, I am sure we can arrange something more appropriate sent along soon." One of the slavers walked over handing her a purse of coin. "Come alone everyone, the boat leaves for Minrathous within the hour!" 

Fenris didn't even resist or struggle as they made their way out, he didn't look back even once for a chance of rescuing, he simply accepted his fate as to be Danarius pet again. They all looked after Fenris then Varric glared at Hawke. When they finally walked out themselves both Merrill and Varric headed towards Merrill's house, neither wanting to be near the champion of Kirkwall. Varric would most likely never forgive her for that one.

**

About a week later Fenris woke up in a bed. With a startle he flung up in a sitting position, regretted his decision within seconds as his head felt as if someone had struck him over it with a hammer. He stared widely around in the unfamiliar half dark room trying to remember what he was doing there but his head simply came out blank, as if someone had been in there and poured everything out.

Another elf came over to him holding a bowl and a rag sitting down on the edge of the bed. His hair was long, flowing down over his back, almost entirely white except for the tips and the roots that were black as the feathers on a raven. He had markings on his face and arm, markings like Fenris's own markings, those branded in lyrium for his master. 

The other elf smiled gently and let his fingers gently touch Fenris chest and push him back into the sheets of the bed and then took out the rag from the bowl and gently pushed it against his forehead easing up on the throbbing pain he felt. For a moment Fenris allowed his body to relax and enjoy the treatment, letting the cold lull him back to a half sleep and dull down the pain.

When they had just stayed like that for a while, Fenris had no idea for how long, the other elf just kept cooling the rag down in the water and press it carefully to his forehead in silence. "...What happened?" His voice was hoarse, as if he had been screaming really loud, really long but he couldn't remember doing such a thing or why he should have done such a thing. He knew better than to make any sounds that would annoy his master.

"You have been gone for some years, master Danarius just brought you back." The other elf said with a sad smile but kept on his work with a towel, Fenris was very grateful he didn't stop it because it really did work wonders on his head ache. "He said you would have a head ache for quite some time but you are unharmed. My name is Assan, I will be making sure that you are ready to step into our masters service again." 

Fenris couldn't recall there ever being another elf with lyrium in his skin such as Fenris, or ever being gone. "Where... was I?" he asked in confusion and Assan stopped his work for a moment looking thoughtful. 

"...I do not know, my master spoke something Kirkwall before he traveled to collect you, more I cannot tell, for I do not know." He said apologetic then kept on cooling him down. 

"Is he angry with me..." 

"Last I saw him, he looked pleased. But I would not doubt you will be punished... I am sorry." 

Fenris shivered, undoubtedly he deserved it, he must have done something wrong to end up in Kirkwall, wherever that was. But if he was pleased, then surely he would get away with only being lashed to the first blood spill. 

Fenris had been wrong. Danarius had had him lashed until his entire back was bleeding then left without anyone to care for the wounds or food for two days, then Assan had been allowed to take care of his wounds and lead him back to the bedroom he had first woken up in.

Assan had not said much, they weren't supposed to make idle chitchat, they were supposed to serve, nothing more nothing less, not that Fenris had felt much for speaking with his back damaged as it was anyway.


	2. Thank you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris may not remember running away but he knew he did because there is new people in the mansion now, one of these new people is Assan

Fenris had no memory of having ever run away from Danarius and therefor had a hard time believing he had. He had a hard time to think up any good reason as to why he would do such a thing, It sounded like madness. He was there to serve Danarius, he wanted to do everything to make his master happy, that was his purpose of living, such as it was any slaves purpose of living, serving their masters.

The only proof he actually had that it had indeed happened was the fact that things looked different in the mansion. There was new thing, new furniture, new books, new objects, Danarius looked older, Fenris himself looked older. He must have been gone for at least a couple of years. He also had a strange new feeling, a feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't understand  _what_ it was that was wrong, just something.

Of course the first week back in his masters care Fenris had his back torn open by the lashing and was dizzy from the lack of food, until Danarius called him into his office and healed his back after Fenris had promised he would never again leave his masters side and that he was sorry. As he had done so, again that feeling of wrongness was clenching in his chest as a black fist, but he ignored it.

The biggest change was that Hadriana was nowhere to be found, his masters apprentice was simply gone. Not that he was allowed to ask about her of course and he knew much better than to do such a thing, and to be perfectly honest, Fenris was secretly happy, she used to hound his sleep, deny him his meals and other things just for the sheer fun of it. Danarius did have a new apprentice, Trillia but she didn't take much interest in either of the lyrium elves. Only Danarius was allowed to draw power from their marks and thus she saw them useless for her purposes.

Fenris had always been Danarius favorite slave, he had taken pride in being his favorite even if he didn't entirely like what happened in the bedroom and even less so when Danarius decided to share him with other magisters, it made him feel unclean and quite often sore, no one was really gentle with him, a lot of times pain was the easiest way to make his marks flare up and he had heard Danarius said it was a delight when they flared up during sex.

Fenris had been Danarius biggest success, the one thing the magister happily bragged about over and over to anyone with ears to listen with. Lyrium branding was an old art and mastering it was difficult and gave a lot of status in the imperium. But now there was another elf there, white marks branding his skin, white long hair with black parts still in it, another set of green eyes, Assan was pretty, while Fenris was there to serve and pleasure Danarius his main reason with life was bodyguard not looking pretty, but Assan, he was clearly there to look pretty. Fenris wasn't sure if he was jealous or relieved over it, Assan clearly was Danarius's new pride with his good looks.

Fenris often saw Assan adorn with gold and silver jewelries, his ears had three ear clasps in each ear, two in gold and one in silver, the golden ones by the tip and the lobe and the silver in between, all three of them linked with two silver chains. He had a silver and gold collar around his neck with Danarius mark so everyone would know where he belonged and gold wrist cuffs around his wrist. Assan had high cheekbones with proportions making him look like one of those perfect porcelain dolls. His skin was smooth and did not have any more marks than the white dormant lyrium brands.

He didn't wear the simple slave robes as the other slaves wore, but instead just as Fenris himself, they both wore a black fabric that held tight to every curve and muscle, he lacked the feathers, gloves and chest plate that Fenris wore though as they had different duties.

Danarius liked to keep them collared at all times, it was not unusual really among magisters to collar their favored slaves so they wouldn't loose them. Danarius also enjoyed to sometimes leash them when he had guests over or when he brought them for parties, a mockery of Qunari and their compliant mages.

For a while Fenris was sure that Assan looked the way he looked because of some magical spell making him shorter than the usual slaves and city elves, but he had heard Danarius tell his friends that the elf's height and fairness was due to the fact that he was a pure bred Dalish, a real little savage before brought to Tevinter. 

_"I wish I could have got him earlier, they apparently managed to catch him when he was a child. I only obtained him some years prior, he's quite the specimen, he is not as loyal though, sometimes you can see it in his eyes that he is... thinking. I suppose that you can't get full submission from a savage even a savage with no memories. That is why I enjoy having my little Fenris back. After some adjustments of his memories he is back to his normal submissive way, he does anything I tell him. Fenris, more wine"  
_

Fenris had noticed that as well. Assan would look out through a window and his eyes would be far away somewhere in the sky, as if he were dreaming of flying away only to be tugged back to reality by their masters hard voice. Fenris couldn't imagine what Assan dreamed of, Fenris had no memory other than being a slave, he had heard Assan had none either. 

They didn't speak much, the two elves shared a small bedroom with just one bed. Usually  slaves did not have this kind of luxury. They would sleep on the  floors in the slave quarters and together. This room laid on the second floor across the hall to Danarius own bedroom keeping them close at hand if he wanted some nightly pleasure, that was not unusual, or for early tea or other trivial tasks. 

Of course, one bed meant sharing, or one of them sleeping on the floor which was less than a satisfying way to sleep when there was a bed. The bed was made for one person but two elves could easily share it. The preferred side was the left one that was against the wall and somehow Assan always managed to just be there before Fenris. But not tonight. Assan had been ordered to Assist Danarius with cutting his hair and Fenris found himself first in the little bedroom they shared.

He had washed off his face in the little basin, shimmed out of his tight tunic but as always left his pants on and got down in bed and laid on his back where usually Assan laid...He had more than once felt the other elf's eyes look at him while he undressed but he weren't sure if it was just in his head or if it actually happened. If it actually happened he couldn't understand why. Assan looked far more perfect than himself, but Fenris knew that he was more muscular, he was Danarius body guard and had the strength thereof. 

Fenris woke up in the middle of the night as the door opened. He hadn't even noticed falling asleep in the first place. Assan were walking stiffly, without a shirt and had dried tears to his cheeks, it was no question of what had kept him busy for so long time. Fenris knew all too well had happened and he slowly sat up watching Assan. Sense they never actually spoke he was not sure if he would say something or not.

"Are you hurt?" 

He heard himself ask and the other elf flinched and looked at Fenris and swallowed hard then shook his head. They were always hurt, what was meant by 'are you hurt' was if there had been more than sex involved. 

"..No, he.. is in a good mood." Assan replied in barely a whisper as he moved over the floor to get a change of clothes. 

Fenris laid back on the bed and shuffled over to the right side of it away from the wall and had his eyes locked to the roof. Assan didn't need anyone watch his naked body clean up and get changed. Fenris hated it when anyone touched him or looked at him for too long, especially after Danarius had touched him. 

After a while of silence Assan came over and looked at Fenris on the bed a bit confused over his placement but when he made no sign that he was moving Assan climbed over him and shuffled down on the bed moving around some. Fenris knew why, Assan were trying to find a way he would not feel exposed in while sleeping and Fenris turned around so his back was facing Assan and he heard and felt the other elf finally stop moving around and sigh deeply before curling up to a ball. Fenris knew that dance finding comfort in a bed after was hard, especially a shared bed and Fenris sighed and got up then laid on the floor on his back with his hands over his chest. 

After some minutes the blanket and the two pillows of the bed came down to him and Assan looked at him biting his lip and Fenris gave a small nod. 

"Thank you" Was all Assan said but it was good enough for Fenris where he laid on the floor.


	3. A kiss at request.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assan and Fenris shares a kiss that is not supposed to mean anything, unfortunately it will mean more to them both than either of them care to admit.

Assan had learned to hate when there was parties and dinners in the mansion. That's when Danarius got drunk with his guests, blood magic was used, never on him of course, he was too much on an investment, him and Fenris was safe from that but it was still awful to see it happen to the other slaves. 

It was also the time that hey were both leashed for the fun of it. Danarius enjoyed to grab one chain or another and pull them into someone's lap to show how obedient and loyal they were. Assan hated when Danarius touched him but he preferred it when Danarius didn't share him. But the magister shared his little pets with closer friends when it benefited or amused him. 

Tonight was more of a dinner, not too many people, just the closest of Danarius friends, one woman and two men. Fenris was serving wine while Assan stood beside Danarius chair loyally looking at the floor while the others were talking.

"Where did you come up with the pattern's Danarius? I must say they are exquisite." one of the men said as he had grabbed Fenris arm to take a better look of the marks.

"Fenris's marks was found in a book I quired, Assan's... well he was Dalish I figured it suiting to give him something those savages have." He said and gave up a laughter "I must say, second time around was a bit easier, that is why I tried them in his face as well, keeping his head still was the hardest part."

"I suppose it is painful then?" 

"Quite, well, they do not remember it afterwards, the pain takes that away. I have simply seen it as a pleasant side effect, of course I had to arrange little Fenris memories after being away for so long. I will not take them to the islands again anytime soon" he said and chuckled lightly. 

"What would be the value to sell them?" the woman asked, where she sat beside Danarius and she leaned close to Assan. 

"Ah, I have not given it thought, I would not sell them, they are good slaves and very easy for the eye, some elves get's so dull to watch for too long." He said dismissive. 

"I have heard a rumor you have taken an elven woman to teach her magic. Do you truly?"

"Ah, Varania, she has some magic, I am teaching her enough to help me but she is not my apprentice, she is but a slave that will know a small range of magic to help in the household. She is too foolish to even apply for her freedom"

They all laughed over the foolish elf and Assan shivered just quietly listening to the people speaking about them. Danarius bragging about the things they could do, manipulate the fade around them and move through solid objects, reach into people and scramble them around. Assan was content if they'd just keep talking for hours until it was so late they all headed back home. But not too late so they would stay the night. 

Two hours passed on no worse than the both elves were now without shirts to show off the lyrium artworks on their chests and backs. The dark haired woman were trailing a finger up over Fenris chest as she sipped her wine. They were all properly drunk by now, they had dropped the fine fancy talking by now and instead acted like young adults laughing together over things they probably shouldn't. 

"Danarius! Have you ever had them kiss? your two little pets." The woman said and grinned.

"I can't say I have." He said slowly and thoughtfully then laughed "Fenris, Assan, you heard Cantilia." 

The attention was at the two elves and Assan stared at Fenris and Fenris stared Assan. It was one thing to be sexual objects in their master's eyes, that was something they were both used to, in the end they would not have to stay the night in the same bed as Danarius but they would have to sleep in the the same bed as each other. 

"Fenris, Assan. Now" 

Assan was pulled back to Reality by the sharp edge in their masters voice and Fenris seemed to snap back as well. As they stood close Assan realized that Fenris was a very tall elf and he had to tiptoe some to get to his lips and they shared a very short brief touch of lips before parting. There hadn't been anyone telling what kind of kiss it would be. 

One of the magisters snorted amused "Is that called a kiss?" He asked with a menacing laugh. 

The matter was put to rest by Varania who came into the room and gave the news that the carriage was ready for the guests and Assan and Fenris was put to work on cleaning away all wine bottles. fenris took the half open one to put it back down in the cellar and Assan took the empty ones. 

Fenris stopped down in the dark of the cellar leaning back to a wall and took a deep breath carefully letting his fingers trace over his own lips. Assan's lips had been soft, he knew they had been kissed before but they seemed so untouched... He sighed quietly and closed his eyes forcing his heart to steady from it's quick rhythm. Assan possessed a beauty he did not see in others, now he were not sure what he would do. Probably pretend as if nothing. They were Danarius slaves. There to tend to their master, not to enjoy themselves. 

Assan had quietly got rid of the empty bottles and then walked to Danarius loyally and lead him to his bedroom, helped him to change into his night attire, he was in luck sense the man was in the state of drunk that he was simply tired and not out for company. Assan was quick on leaving when he was dismissed and headed to the bedroom to find it empty. He weren't sure why he was disappointed. He usually were the first one in the bedroom anyway. He took the time to clean up and get out of his shirt and change pants. 

When Fenris did come back to the room Assan was already on the bed asleep. Fenris had ended up being pulled in to help clean in the kitchens before he had been sent to bed. He quickly changed before he laid down on the other side of The bed just in silence looking at Assan in the moonlight. Perhaps he should have stolen a bit of a deeper kiss earlier. He had had reason to. 

Fenris fell asleep with dreams about that kiss, on his side Assan were having similar dreams and their hands met on the bed between them, brushed against each other without either aware of it. 


	4. A very pretty elf.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there is a party and Assan is prettied up to look handsome for the magisters and Fenris must say he agree on the part that Assan is very much handsome

Tonight was an important night where many of the magisters met and pretty much boasted with their accomplishments, bragging about families, the number of slaves, wealth, magical accomplishments and other such things that Assan couldn't care less about but unfortunately would be dragged into either he liked it or not since it was his masters wish.

Danarius had bought Assan for his looks that time those years ago for his fair elven looks and pure blood, his previous master and mistress had done the same showed up the handsome savage Dalish. That meant of course that Assan would be prettied up, made sure he looked his best so he would be something stunning and exotic compared to the other slaves. 

He were seated on a chair in the kitchen where Varania were coating his nails with gold and a human were tugging a brush through his hair without care of how hard she pulled it. But of course Assan just sat entirely still while they worked, that was what he had been told to do. He had his most fancy ear clasps, a prettier collar and the silver and gold wrist cuffs had been polished. His pants were of leather and sat tight all over his legs not really leaving much air anywhere and he a see through silk shirt that was only there so he wouldn't go with bare chest. As usual he didn't have shoes, he had fabric wrapped around his feet with his toes poking out. 

The woman working on his hair were trying a row different hair styles, braided it, pulled it up in a pony tail, tried a combination, put it up in a bun, let it be loose but couldn't decide what she thought was most pretty and after a while vanished. She was not gone for long however and came back trying out a whole lot of hair accessories and Assan had to clench his jaw hard not to make any sounds of the pain it cause when she pulled and tugged his hair. 

In the end some silver beads were braided into a tight neat braid with some of his hair from the front to the back so it wouldn't fall into his eyes or face and hide any markings that were there. He had a small layer of black under his eyes and on his eyelids it went from thin layer of black fading out in a dark green. His lips also was colored just slightly to get more edge to them and Assan felt, as always when he was being displayed, ridiculous. 

Fenris didn't need any of this, he was more of Danarius bodyguard and not there for his flawless elven looks. Assan envied that, he would have preferred silently walking by Danarius side and keep his eyes open for possible threats than to be shown off to every magister around while constantly worrying that his hair or the paint in his face had gone bad for that would be reason enough for a punishment. 

When he were done he stood up and made sure to walk in the flowing movements Danarius enjoyed to watch. Assan had spent a year in a whore house and he had learned how the women walked there to make themselves desirable, he had found that it worked the same for men. He slowly strode to the entrance and stood still and quiet not to destroy any of the work that had been put on him. 

Fenris, while Assan were being prettied up had also been told to take a bath and was dressed in the armor and with the broad sword on his back. It made him look more dangerous and scared people. He slowly followed Danarius around in the mansion until he was sent down to wait by the entrance. When he saw Assan the reaction was involuntary. His eyes widened and his heart began beating just the slightest faster, Assan was usually a rather handsome elf, even Fenris could see that but now, he was a stunning piece of art. 

He swallowed and gave a small nod to Assan and stood some away from him trying to think of something else as these breeches were not giving any room for any extra size without it being noticeable and he would prefer that not to happen. Assan looked at Fenris and gave the shadow of a smile then he let his head back down and eyes on the floor. The smile had been enough though, it was as beautiful as the rest of him and Fenris found that he wanted to see more of it, but that thought was pushed away and he shook his head, he didn't want anything, the only thing he wanted was to please his master. 

"Ah, my little arrow." Danarius walked over and looked over the work of the elf to make sure it looked flawless then put a spell on the elf freezing his appearance for the coming hours then called on the lyrium to make it glow. Not as much as when they were in full battle mode just enough for it to be more noticed. He did the same on Fenris. 

 

The party was full of people and Assan made sure to slide around with as little movement as he could possibly do. Both of the elves staying loyally by  their masters side. Danarius spoke to some magisters and Fenris were keeping his eyes around everywhere. 

"Assan, fetch me something to drink and be quick about it." Danarius said dismissive and the elf bowed his head before he headed off.

It wasn't very hard to find in the place, he wasn't mistaken for some of the other slaves, it was rather well known with those markings and that hair that they belonged to Danaius so no one asked him about anything. What was difficult was to get to where he wanted. He had to make sure not to walk into anyone, not to wreck his hair, not to smear any of the paint in his face and to keep sliding forwards in the manner he was supposed. 

He planned thoroughly then used the help of a wall to get to where he needed to be and was almost in reach when he was stopped by a man, dark hair, flashy clothes. Like everyone else it seemed. The man however looked at Assan with big excited eyes and leaned closer. 

"Remarkable! That is lyrium is it not?" He asked.

"It is serah" He replied with his eyes on the man's shoes. 

"Hm, if I tell you to call me Dorian you won't do it will you?" he asked and the elf shook his head. He was not stupid.

"Ah well, very interesting marks... That means magister Danarius is around then?"

Assan only responded with a nod, daring to steal a small glance up and the man sent a very lustful longing look at him before he sighed "Well, then, I am sorry to bothered you I am sure you have work to do." he said with a small laugh before he left and Assan quickly got a glass of wine before returning to his master. 

"Ah there we are. Assan, turn around"

He just had to say the words and the elf began a slow spin to let the magister that his master spoke to have a proper look, it was nothing new to him. Fenris however could not resist looking at the display as well. He pretended not to do it of course. 

"He has quite the looks" The magister commented. 

"Yes, it was one of the reasons for purchase, he is a pure breed, comes from one of those savage clans, or rescued from those clans more likely." 

"The lyrium is quite remarkable." The man said and reached out stroking over the marks on Assan's cheek. "How long did it take to apply them?" 

"It takes a couple of days, I had to stop after a couple of hours or I feared I might loose them." 

"So it is painful, you have not considered humans to have them?" 

"Oh they are quite painful. I have also found that the more human blood within the less likely are they to walk  out alive." 

The other man nodded and they began discuss theories and that was how the rest of the night progressed, Assan lost count on how many times he was told to turn around and how many times he was touched or his or Fenris marks were being used by Danarius as a display of how they worked. 

When they were back home again Fenris was the one who lead Danarius to the bedroom while Assan went back to their bedroom. Assan had been surprised that Fenris took the initiative to bring Danarius to the stairs without even have been told but he was grateful, the way he looked for the moment was an invitation for sexual activities. 

That's why Fenris had been quick on helping Danarius. He hadn't had time to reflect over it himself but when he thought of it as he lead his master up the stairs he knew it was why, looking like that, he was a handsome man and while he looked like that Fenris didn't want him to be touched. Not by Danarus hands, at least not tonight. He wouldn't have had to worry, as quick as he had got his master into his night attire and then bed the man had fallen asleep faster that it took for Fenris to activate his mark if needed and the elf left him alone walking back to their room. 


	5. When the cat leaves the house.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danarius travels, and he is not bringing either of his favorite elves with him on the travel. He is not stupid enough risking to loose Fenris again. But maybe leaving them behind unsupervised is just what will make him loose them both.

Weeks passed and turned into months more and more Fenris found interest in watching Assan, it wasn't right, he knew that, they were slaves and belonged to Danarius but Fenris had a nagging feeling somewhere in him. A feeling that there was something more, hidden under his skin, beneath the lyrum, he just didn't know how to grasp that. 

He hadn't been ordered to kiss Assan again, that was something he was both relieved and disappointed. Again that was something he weren't supposed to be. He should only care for what Danarius wanted, making sure he was satisfied and comfortable. Fenris weren't sure what was wrong with him, perhaps he was broken, maybe he should tell Danarius, to be fixed. But Fenris didn't want to be fixed, not from this. 

When Danarius had decided on a trip for some days both Fenris and Assan was confused over the fact that neither of them would be joining him. They weren't given an explanation and neither of them had the right to ask. So instead they saw their master leave with the order to stay in the house. However as a slave when a master goes away, is suspended in a waiting. Fenris and Assan found that they had no orders, no directions, there was nothing to do. 

Assan had spent the day in silence meditating, it was something he had learned helped. He was no mage so he did not enter the fade but he could at times when he focused dig around in his own head but he never found more than locked doors.

Fenris had spent the day practicing. That was something he used to be told to do when he had nothing to do. Practice his sword work, his feet work, the fading in and out with his lyrium marks. He did notice when someone walked out through the door watching him. He began working harder on his practice when he realized it was a man with so very familiar white and black hair and deep green eyes. The wish to impress was pushing him. For anyone outside slavery they would have known they had a crush. Fenris didn't he couldn't understand what was wrong with him and it annoyed him. 

"What do you want?!" He snarled and drove his sword in the ground. He regretted the harsh tone when he saw Assan back a step nervously and look down. "..I am sorry" he said and slowly and began walking towards Assan but the other elf bolted before he had even gotten close, retreated back into the house. Something about that hurt in his chest. As if he had reached into his own chest and squeezed his own heart cold and icy.

Fenris didn't go back to their room until many hours later, Assan was sitting on the bed with crossed legs and his hands in his lap. He didn't even seem to notice Fenris had walked into the room. Fenris quietly walked closer and Assan snapped his eyes open and looked up at Fenris and quickly stood up. Fenris weren't sure what was hiding in the elf's eyes, not fear but clearly not the usual empty face. 

"Fenris.." He said and Fenris realized it was surprise that had hid in the other's face. 

"I have been thinking of you" Fenris said and looked at Assan "In fact I seem to have trouble thinking about anything else, ever since..." His voice died and he got angry with himself. "Ever since we kissed." He said and stood close to Assan. "Command me to go, and I will." 

Assan were chewing his bottom lip quietly looking up at him with his green eyes wide and Fenris felt his own heart beat hard in his chest and the suspense were killing him. The answer didn't seem to come and he slowly began to turn to leave when he felt Assan's hand on his arm stopping him. 

"..I can't stop think of you either." He said looking up nervously.

Fenris released a deep breath he had been holding. They couldn't both be broken could they? Maybe it could happen to slaves too. Fenris pulled Assan in close to his chest and felt the shorter elf stand on his toes eagerly pressing his lips up against Fenris' own lips. It was not a small little quick kiss like last time, this was a deep long one as if they were only able to breath if they could keep the kiss going. Of course it was just the opposite and then soon had to pull apart to breath. 

Fenris didn't pull his hands away though and he kept them safely around Assan's middle and Assan's arms had snaked up over his shoulders. Fenris smiled looking into his eyes Green meeting green, Fenris realized just how green Assan's eyes were, like a forest, his own was more olive in comparison. 

"You are a handsome man Assan" he said and the smaller elf blushed and looked down but Fenris had seen the smile. 

Fenris patiently waited until Assan looked back up again and then claimed his lips again and it was eagerly replied as he began back Assan to the bed and they both fumbled down on it marks glowing blue as their lips crashed together. Assan was pinned down underneath him, back to the bed and Fenris elbows leaned to the bed on each side of Assan. 

Fenris felt Assan's legs wrap around his waist and hands sneaking in under his black tunic. Neither of them were sure who got off what as they helped in a mess of undressing while they kept kissing desperately. The lyrium under their skin pulsing and glowing. Gasps and moans was the only sound they shared until they were naked and Fenris paused stroking down his hand over Assan's chest and Assan were eating Fenris alive with his eyes. 

Assan were looking up at Fenris and his tanned copper skin. He trailed some of the markings near his hips before wrapping his fingers around their goal, Fenris' hard throbbing erection between his legs. Assan was a bit surprised how well equipped he were as he let his hand work Fenris in slow strokes. Fenris gave up a moan before they were kissing again while Assan kept on his work. He squealed but laughed in delight when Fenris strong arms flopped him up more comfortably in the bed and so he could rest his head on the pillows. 

Fenris chuckled over the sound Assan had made and kissed his lips again. He did mourn the loss of Assan's hand on his cock but he wouldn't miss it for long. He reached down on the floor and pulled up the glass vial with oil in it. He guided one of Assan's legs up over his shoulder before his fingers went to work. Assan moaned quietly and threw his head back in the pillows and Fenris had to admit. It was the first time he had enjoyed the thought and sex and were honestly excited over it. 

It didn't take him long to get him ready enough to slide in and he scraped his teeth against Assan's knee that were thrown over his shoulder. They both lost themselves in each other, time simply vanished around them and the only sounds that came from them was combined panting, moans and the slapping of skin to skin until Fenris spent fell down beside Assan and into a light sleep. He were just vaguely aware Assan's hand and head was on his chest as he was pulled into a whirlwind of strange images emotions and sounds flooding his half sleeping brain. 


	6. You are Dalish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path. We are the last elvhen. Never again shall we submit.

Fenris woke up with a startling twitch, the feeling of suffocating was clogging his chest stealing away his ability to breath. He flung up in sitting position and a soft whining was heard from Assan who slid off by the movement and stared at Fenris disoriented and confused as to why he had moved. 

Fenris slid his legs over the edge of the bed only covered with some of the covers in his lap. He leaned his elbows to his knees and his head in his hand trying to sort up everything that was in there. For a moment he had seen it all, things he remembered. But waking up had taken most away again.

There had been freedom, he had been away from Danarius... He didn't even remember the surroundings as Tevinter. He had been on his own outside of Tevinter, there had been a woman, he remembered dark hair and blue eyes, a stroke of red across her face. Someone he had trust but he could trust no longer. He couldn't remember why. He almost jumped off the bed in fright when he felt an arm wrap around him and he sighed deeply turning his head to the side where Assan had his head leaned to his shoulder. 

"Too fast?" 

He heard Assan ask softly and he gave a nod in reply but part of him didn't want to push Assan away so when the other elf made a move to pull back Fenris caught his hand and kept it safely wrapped around him and Assan simply shuffled back in place hugging him in silence. Breathing in silence, Assan was simply waiting Fenris out and Fenris took comfort in the silence. 

"I.." He sighed and looked down. Could he tell Assan? They had shared a night, it was sex nothing more.. Or was it? Fenris hadn't asked Assan to hug him, he had done that on his own, That Assan right now sat leaned to him with his chest touching Fenris back that was Assan's own doing, didn't that mean that he was open for more?

"I remembered... something. I don't know what it was, for a moment I knew it all but it slipped away out of my grasp." He said pained and let his shoulders slump down. 

"What did you remember?" Assan's voice was gentle and caring. It was strange to hear but not unpleasant. 

"I was... free. I must have been outside Tevinter, it was unfamiliar. There was a woman there, blue eyes and dark hair.. I trusted her but apparently I was wrong to.. I can't... remember why"

Assan just sat quiet for a while listening to Fenris and Fenris sighed and shook his head "It no longer matter" He said dismissive but he felt Assan's grip tighten on him. 

"Tell me more, tell me all you remember?"

"What is there to tell? It is all slipping away anyway"

"You said you were free, how do you know?" Assan said stubbornly

"I.. It was.. I was running. Not because I was told, I choose to run, until I stopped. For some reason I stopped running. I was someone... I was me my own I didn't have to.."

Fenris stopped talking and stared at his hands. He was someone still. He weren't just a pet to be held! Why had he stopped running? He should not have stopped, anything must be better than here. Here was wrong he just didn't see it before, how could he have missed it? They were not made to do whatever Danarius wanted them to do. 

"I can't..." he said and stood up quickly and scrambled for his pants. 

"What? Fenris... I am sorry I won't ask you to tell me more." 

Fenris heard the hurt and fright in Assan's voice. How could he not see it? That this was all wrong, he couldn't stay and he couldn't leave Assan behind. Fenris looked at Assan and swallowed holding his hand out for him. They had their chance, Danarius was not in the house there was just servants there, they could run.

"Come with me Assan, I need you" 

Assan's eyes grew wide "No! Fenris! We can't, Danarius... We belong here." Assan was leashed by fear, heavy chains holding him on his place. Kept him as Danarius little pet heeled by the floor. 

"We don't!" Fenris voice was twisted with rage and hate and he leaned to the bed to one hand so he was close to Assan. He didn't like that fear in his face and eyes. "You were not meant for servitude! You were meant to be free! You most of us, you were, ARE Dalish! You are meant to be free Assan!" 

"We are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path. We are the last elvhen. Never again shall we submit." Assan quietly mumbled his eyes wide staring into Fenris's then Fenris felt Assan's hands to his cheeks before they crashed into a kiss of burning passion before they pulled away from each other and Fenris smiled hopefully and then to his relief Assan gave him a smile back before they quickly but quietly turned into getting into their best traveling attire. 

Fenris strapped on the light armor he wore when Danarius wanted a terrifying body guard. Assan who didn't have an armor settled with leather pants a black tunic and a knife belt. Fenris didn't have his sword here, it was down in the armory, he would have to get that last. They had no real plan, no money no directions but they were going to run. 

Fenris had been on the run before but he found that Assan was the wiser of the two, he packed them bread and supplies, of course the difference between them was that Fenris was a warrior both to strength and mind. He was always looking for threats and the best way to win over a threat was to lash out with his sword. Assan was a built rouge, he thought three steps forwards. Fenris was not sure how he did that.

"Do you remember.. Anything?" Fenris asked as he watched Assan pack down needle and thread. 

Assan shook his head "No.. for a moment I thought I did... but no" he said and kept working, Assan were hiding it well but Fenris could see every time he stopped for even just a second his eyes were plagued with fear and uncertainty. 

"How do you.. think of all this? What to bring?" Fenris were trying to distract the other from thinking too much and change his minds, or maybe to make him remember again, as he had when Fenris had reminded him what he were. "Danarius wouldn't have ever told you to pack things good for bringing on the road." He pointed out.

Assan glanced up "It's.. what I do" he said slowly "When I is vanished in thought, I put my thoughts in order. When I meditate I can access my own minds, they are mostly locked, I can't shake my memories before these marks free, but I can arrange knowledge and thoughts, that is how I never forget where anything is." He said and stood up and held the bag hard in his hand looking nervous. "..I will use the back entrance.. You will grab your sword.. We will meet by the docks."

Fenris looked at him then gave a small nod, Assan spoke as if he were going through an order to make sure he had got it right, they had decided to split up in case they were followed, at least one of them would have the chance to get away if that happened.

Fenris looked at Assan a last time before they parted. Possibly  forever. 


	7. Help me to decide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assan is not as sure as Fenris is that escaping is a good idea, when they split up for the docks it get's worse whenhe can't find Fenris again.

Assan had pulled his hood deep over his head, hiding his white hair, hiding his marks in his face from first glance, there was no hiding that he had the body of an elf, small, slender and short. He had almost turned around six times. He was not supposed to be out here, it was madness his master would be so angry with him angry, with them both.

What if it was just a trick? Fenris had got him to leave their master first, what if he remained and this was just to put him in trouble? That thought made Assan's stomach turn and he wanted to throw up, turn around and run back before anyone could notice he was gone. 

_No! Fenris wouldn't do that, Fenris was not like that._

But still Assan in easy words were terrified as he where moving in his flowing kind of way quietly in the crowd of people keeping his head low. They was supposed to meet in the docks, maybe Fenris was planning on getting them on a ship, it was the easiest way out of Tevinter... But they didn't have any passage or money to buy passage for either. 

His worries and fears held on for an hour, then two and Assan moved around on the docks trying not to be in the way feeling more and more sick until a captain barked at him to move out of the way or help carrying. Assan who had no better thing to to obliged the order and soon found himself helping carrying crates. 

"You're a real handy one aren't ya?" The captain asked and chuckled. Assan could hear long way he was not Tevinter, maybe Fereldan. "Don't you all have masters here?" 

Assan swallowed and carefully put the box he had carried down "...I.. am waiting for someone.. We will seek  passage over the sea serah" He said and looked down at the wooden floor of the ship. 

The captain knew an escaped slave when he saw one, he would have reported it if he was just any Tevinter captain. But luck was with Assan today for this was one of the few decent captains not from Tevinter. "Is your friend as handy?" he asked

Assan almost looked up in surprise but kept his gaze low "Yes, he is stronger than me." he said and nodded. 

"If you find your friend within the hour, I can take you as far as to the Fereldan borders, all I ask in return is that you help working while on the ship, no pay, the only pay will take you across" he said friendly. 

Assan's eyes widened and he nodded quickly then hurried to finish helping before he hurried off the ship to find Fenris. The hope that had filled him was crushed however when he saw two of Danarius henchmen and they saw him. Assan made a desperate run for it but his mind was blank, he had no where to hide until a hand grabbed his arm and he squealed as he was pulled close by a hooded man behind some crates and a hand placed over his mouth. He didn't fight however but relaxed into it because the clawed armor in front of his mouth was familiar, and he smelled of Fenris. 

Fenris watched the men that had followed him all the way here pass and held Assan still and quiet. Luckily the other elf didn't resist him but when he let his hand down Assan turned around with his big green eyes glued in Fenris' own eyes, they were relieved. 

"There is a ship, the captain can take us to the borders of Ferelden if we hurry before they leave." 

Fenris almost had a hard time following what Assan said because the elf were speaking so quickly but he caught the most important. There was a ship, Fenris had no idea who would take two slaves without a master, it was possible they walked straight into a slaver ship or they would be reported and sent back. But for the moment any ship was worth the risk and he let Assan tug him along. 

Within the hour the ship had left the docks. Fenris and Assan had both been put to help where it was needed then the two elves stood quietly watching Minrathous grow small behind them. Assan had looked like he was about to jump into the water and swim back ashore a couple of times but now seemed to have abandoned that thought and Fenris pulled the cloak off him, it was uncomfortable over his armor. 

Assan slowly slid his hood down and looked at Fenris "He will be so angry, Fenris.." he mumbled and shivered. 

Fenris looked at Assan, it was true, Danarius would be furious when he got words. All Fenris knew was that this time he wouldn't stop. He would run until there was no were more to run, then he would fight or die. He pulled up two daggers and gave them to Assan. 

"In case you need to defend yourself." 

Assan took the daggers and put them in his belt, he knew how to handle them. He weren't a warrior but when Fenris had not been around Assan had been the one in the role as their masters body guard. 

"Fenris... We have nowhere to go... I was Dalish, I am not Dalish anymore, I don't even remember being a Dalish or what that means more than what I have heard."

"We run and we don't stop." he said and looked at Assan. Assan lowered his gaze and nodded. 

The two slaves were far out of reach from safety. They would be hunted across the world because of their markings. This was the first step out, after a couple of hours on the ship neither of them felt the urge to turn around and loyally walk back into Danarius waiting arms. 


	8. Welcome to your life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assan and Fenris forms up a plan of how to proceed when they arrive to Ferelden.

The following days of the ship was pretty much the same, the men helped where they could, mostly Fenris doing heavy lifts or other things that required strong muscles while Assan held his sword safely. Fenris hadn't got any more memory flashes which he was grateful for, it had been too much at once. Assan hadn't had any himself either. 

Now he sat on the wooden deck of the ship, Fenris' ridiculously large broadsword were resting in his lap where he had his legs crossed and the sun shone over his skin and in his face making him smile slightly. Breathing in the fresh salty sea breeze was refreshing and cleared out his head comfortably. He relaxed and took a deep breath beginning to dive down into his own head. He wanted to force his memories open, maybe something was in there waiting for him to tell them where to go.

When Fenris took a break and wiped the hair out of his face he saw Assan sitting on the floor, he was clearly meditating again and it brought a very small smile to Fenris lips. He didn't bother him, just sat down on a crate beside him and let him be. The captain walked over and looked at Assan on the floor. 

"Is he well your friend?" He asked in concern.

"Yes." Fenris didn't speak very much but he tried not to come off rude. "He.. meditates to get clarity in his thoughts..." Fenris weren't entirely sure. 

The captain nodded and looked Fenris over. "And your name is Fenris, any relation to the Fenris in Varric Tethras books?" He asked in curiosity. After all those lyrium markings did make the two elves rather unique. 

"I can't read" Fenris muttered and sighed, slaves weren't allowed to read. 

"Oh.. well it's about the champion of Kirkwall, There is a Fenris in it.. with white tattoos, the books says they're lyrium"

Then the captain began telling the story for as good as he could remember and Fenris listened quietly. The woman he described named Hawke resembled the woman he had remembered, the woman he couldn't trust anymore. His story didn't tell, it was very vague on why Fenris had left Hawkes little gang. Fenris sighed slightly and shook his head.

"...It is nothing I remember." he said apologetic when the captain finished some hour later and Fenris sighed deeply. It... sounded like him many times, some of the things he would say or do but it was no proof. 

Assan opened his eyes with a twitch and took a deep breath and shivered, Fenris quickly stood up and looked at him concerned. Assan huffed and looked around then looked up at Fenris. "Lavellan... My clan.." 

Fenris leaned down on a knee and the captain left them alone not to pry. This was clearly none of his business anyhow. Fenris looked into Assan's eyes to try to keep contact with him.

Assan sighed. "I remembered that, Only the name. Lavellan... I know we can't stop at one place for long but... could we try to find them, I just want to know... If they knew me, if they even remember me anymore."

Fenris nodded "We can try, I would like to find a couple of names myself." he said and Assan looked at him with interest. 

"You remembered?" 

"No... Apparently there is a book." 

Assan let out a small giggle "Fenris you can't read." He said but quickly blushed and looked down over having giggled out loud. 

Fenris smiled slightly a little crooked smile "I know I can't. But the captain can, he told me." he said and sat down beside Assan leaned to the crates. 

"So, tell me?"

"There is a man named Varric Tethras who wrote a book about the champion of Kirkwall. There is an elf in that book named Fenris, he has lyrium branded to his skin, there was... similarities between me and his actions" 

Assan looked at Fenris quietly "Was it from when you were escaped? Does it say how you were caught?" 

"Not really. I... I knew he was coming for me but I stayed in Kirkwall because of this, Hawke woman. I would want to find her, ask her why I stayed."

Fenris sighed and leaned his head back. He couldn't remember who this Hawke was, he had a vague guess on how she looked like and he was quite sure she had betrayed his trust one way or another.

"We should split up, when we docks, I will go for my clan, you try to find Varric. If we are followed then they will have to follow one or another. Then in two weeks time we meet at a decided point" Assan said strategically. 

Fenris didn't like the idea to part from Assan but he had to admit it was a good plan. If Danarius would come after them he would have to split into smaller groups as well... He hoped Assan could outrun them. Himself, he could fight he would run and fight if he had to. 

"The capital city of Ferelden is Denerim two weeks later no matter if we have found what we look for or not we'll meet in the tavern" 

Fenris said and looked at Assan and Assan nodded with a slight smile. They were both comforted by having a plan to go after now. 


	9. They were meant to be free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assan sets out for his old clan even if he has no clue of where they may be and Templars and Mages runs around in the forests trying to kill each other.

They reached the Ferelden docks not too far from Denerim after enough days on the wobbling sea for Assan to have lost count. They didn't venture into the city but instead bid the captain good bye and thanked him for bringing them over the sea and walked towards the forest area. 

"Fourteen days from now we will meet in the tavern of Denerim" Fenris said as they stopped by a crossroad. 

"What if one of us is delayed?" Assan's voice was again veiled by worry and fear. 

"Then I wait for three days, after that I will go back to Tevinter to save you." He said and looked at Assan in a way telling that there was no argue about this. "And if I have not returned. Move on. If Danarius catches up with me I will die fighting or he will." He said grimly. 

Assan did not look happy about that and Fenris felt Assan grab his hand and he pulled the shorter elf closer and they crashed into a greedy kiss. Like if it was something forbidden the both of them had longed for their entire lives and now had the last chance to get. Fenris wrapped his arms around his middle and Assan stood on his tiptoes with his arms wrapped around Fenris neck, lyrium glowing and pulsing under their skins as they tried to push as close to each other that they possibly could.

It took a while before they both parted and Assan took a deep breath looking at Fenris a last time before he gave a smile and turned around and headed into the forest leaving Fenris to follow the road. 

**

Assan had no idea about where he were heading. All he knew was that after three days of wandering in the forest the only thing he had found was trees, mages and templars. Luckily  for him he had been able to either run fast enough not to get caught or hide so he hadn't been seen. He had been scared to the point of giving up if the good captain hadn't warned them that the circles had rebelled and that mages and templars were in burning war. 

On the fourth day he stopped by a small stream, the forest had been empty all night and the morning sun warmed his skin as his hair fell over her shoulder when he leaned forwards and splashed his face with the cold water to get some of the dust and dirt off his face. He sat down on a rock and began braiding back some of the hair that laid in his face on the back of his head and fastened it with some string. 

When they had left they had both had their collars and wrist cuffs. When they had been on the ship Fenris had grown annoyed with them and tugged them furiously as his marks had flared up and the piece of metal had simply slid straight through his wrist when he had been part of the fade for some moments. The same thing that happened when he reached into people's insides when Danarius felt to show an audience what his two little pets could do. Within short of course all of those things laid on the bottom of the sea.

Assan quietly stroke over his ear. He had found that he missed the ear clasps, maybe he would try to get hold of new ones. New ones that wouldn't be Danarus's they would be Assan's because he choose to get them. He chuckled lightly and shook his head. Here he was hopelessly lost in the forest and he were thinking about earrings... 

He sighed then tensed up. He was sure he had heard something and he stood up slowly and pulled his daggers. He didn't know how to act in a combat more than the basics of it. He was good at defense not offense. If there was a fight coming up he would live longer if he ran.

However before he could even consider what direction to run a woman with dark red hair and blue green eyes held an arrow in his face and Assan stood entirely still. Shelooked him over for a good while before she lowered the arrow looking at his face. 

"Andaran atish'an brother." she said and put the arrow away and held her bow loosely as she looked at him. "Ir abelas, I did not realize that you were Dalish, where is your clan?" she asked, her voice was friendly and he decided after the first startle over having an arrow aimed at him. "I am Velahari, who are you?"  

The woman was curvy and had the female shapes. Her lips softly curled and her eyes were bright and full of life her face were decorated with a soft pattern of freckles. She had tattoos in her face in a black color. He had no clues what she had actually said because he didn't know Dalish. 

"I don't have a clan, I am not from around. But I am looking for one... Clan Lavellan. My name is Assan." 

Velahari looked at him curiously. Maybe he had family in their clan but she hadn't heard anything about anyone expecting someone to come and find them. That made her grow cautious again, in these times anything made anyone suspicious. 

"What do you want from my clan? And what do you mean you don't have a clan?Did you loose them?" She asked and Assan nodded slowly.

"I think so, many years ago, I don't remember anything more than the name." 

Assan watched Velahari stand quiet for a while and he hoped she wouldn't attack him with the arrow again. He slowly put his daggers back in his belt and looked at her waiting. Then she nodded once. 

"Come I will lead you to our keeper, Deshanna Istimaethoriel."

The two walked in silence. Assan never spoke just to fill silence, it was not in a slaves place and even if he was free now the pattern were stuck in his head, he didn't know any other. After a while of moving in the forest, which was much nicer when there was an actual goal, she spoke up however. 

"You say you are from no clan but still you wear Vallaslin?" Her voice was inquisitive and she clearly were curious. 

"Vallaslin? what is that?" he asked and looked down at his clothes wondering if he had something on him. 

She giggled lightly over it as she looked to him. "Our tattoos, the blood writing to honor our gods, you have the marks of Falon'Din but you say you are not from a clan." She said and kept glancing at him. 

"Oh.." He reached up and stroke over his cheek over the white scarred mark. "They are not tattoos, they are lyrium branded into my skin." He said and shook his head. But it was nice to know that they meant something, something from his origin. 

"Oh, Why would you do that? Are you a mage then?" 

"I didn't do it to myself, it was done to me, and I am no mage." He was slightly annoyed, why would he do it to himself? How would he even do it himself? 

"Oh.. Ir abelas... Where did you get them then..?" 

"Tevinter."

Was all he replied, he didn't want this conversation to keep on. He didn't want to think about Danarius, that only made him feel guilty and he felt the need to go back to his master. He must be so furious at them by now... Assan hoped and prayed silently to the maker that Fenris was safe wherever he were now and that they would meet up again in Denerim in ten days. 

They reached the camp by mid day, Assan had never seen a place where there was no humans around but there he was in a camp with just elves. They all looked at him though when Velahari lead him through the camp. Not that he was surprised, people always looked after him and after Fenris. They were rare even in Tevinter. They stopped in front of an older woman who were smiling friendly at them. 

"Aneth ara." Velahari said and Assan wondered what it meant. 

"Aneth ara da'len. You bring a visitor Velahari." she stated and Assan found that she had a very calming voice, but lively eyes were looking him up and down as if she were trying to put her in her memory and Assan was quick on letting his head drop and look in the ground.

"Yes keeper, I found him not far from camp alone. He claims he were looking for our clan, his name is Assan... He is from Tevinter." 

"Go and get Enansal Velahari, what ever he does it can wait" she said kindly and Velahari gave a nod and headed off. "You have not to look at the ground da'len" she said friendly.

Assan stood tense then looked up and looked at her and gave a small nod even if he kept his gaze adverted from her.

"Assan, do you have memories of me?" she asked and he looked up at her and shook his head with wide eyes. "I remember you da'len, you lived and was part of this clan until we lost you to the shemlen while you were yet very young." 

Assan looked at her then opened his mouth slowly to speak up but kept quiet for a while "..I remember nothing before these.." he said slowly and touched his own cheek. "The pain took away everything that was before."

The keeper stood in silence listening. Assan had no idea what was going through her head right now. 

"Assan?" 

Assan quietly turned around, he remembered the voice, he couldn't remember from where but he could remember the sound of it. The man it came from looked quite much like Assan did, older and his hair was entirely black and his face were having a different set of black tattoos. He looked like someone had presented him with a real ghost. In a few quick steps the black haired elf had pulled Assan into a hug. Assan didn't like touch unless it was Fenris but he liked this and he melted into the hug and hugged back.  
Enansal smelled of the forest and nature after a long period of rain, Assan remembered that, he used to sit curled up in his elder brothers lap and listen to tales and stories about the past and the gods.

Assan gasped when the memories his him and he shivered and closed his eyes hard keeping his head leaned to his brothers shoulder.  As quick as they had come they were gone, just leaving him a small glimpse of the past and he realized what Fenris had meant by it all coming back then slip away. When he said that they were not meant to be property. 

They were not meant to be slaves they were meant to be free.


	10. Nothing ever last forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few new relatives appear and Assan quite like it in the Dalish camp.

Assan had listened to his brother, they had spent hours by the campfire, Enansal had told him about them being children, about their parents. Assan couldn't remember any of it, he told about how Assan had been taken away and again Assan had no memory of it what so ever. 

Their parents had lost their lives three years prior. Enansal was a father sense five years back and had two children Isla and Revas. Isla, the girl was the oldest at five years, She had Enansal's raven black hair. Revas was the youngest at two, and he had his mothers red hair. The mother was the hunter Assan had encountered before, Velahari and apparently she was the love of Enansal's life. 

"You used to know her, she's two years older than you but you used to be friends" he said and chuckled lightly. "I am five years older than you so there is a three year gap between me and her" He explained.

But Assan just stared at him with wide eyes. He hadn't even considered what age he was before.. "...How old are you?" He asked carefully and Enansal looked a bit surprised then nodded slowly understanding. 

"I am thirty two, you are twenty six, you'll be twenty seven this autumn." He said without commenting on the fact that Assan didn't know. Sense Assan didn't seem to remember anything he weren't too surprised. 

"Twenty seven" He mumbled quietly then smiled slightly.

"We will teach you what clan life is again" He said gently 

Assan tensed up and looked at his brother "...I can't... These markings.. my master didn't let me free, me and my.. friend, escaped." 

"There are templars all over the forests these days Assan, I doubt a single mage could come after you this far." 

"He will have hired people, me and Fenris we are the only ones he has with these.. We are his big accomplishment, and what I understand we were expensive. Fenris tried running before but he found him so I can't stop, I'll meet with Fenris in ten days, before that I'll walk another direction and make sure I was seen somewhere else first" he said and sighed. 

Enansal looked at him then nodded slowly. He couldn't force his little brother to stay, it was Assan's choice. At least he knew his little brother was alive, he had got to meet him again and see him all grown up and handsome. "Will you at least stay the night? Meet with my little ones?" He instead asked. 

Assan thought of it then nodded and smiled at him. He did want to meet his nephew and niece before he had to move on. He also wouldn't mind a night of sleeping without being scared a bear might eat him or something like that. 

"Well, I suppose it would be nice not to have to fear being eaten by wolves or attacked by humans" he said and smiled slightly. 

His brother laughed lightly "Sleep in the trees" 

"What?" 

"Heights, no one look in the trees for you and wolves don't climb." 

"But what if I fall?" Assan asked baffled. 

"Don't you have rope? You tie it like an anchor around your legs to a branch... I will ask Velahari if she can't show you before you go." 

Assan sighed over how amused his brother sounded and rolled his eyes which made Enansal laugh. His laugh was intoxicating and it pulled Assan into an actual smile. Then they sat speaking about things, Assan didn't want to talk about Tevinter much and he was relieved that no one pressed him to do so either. 

Some hour later a girl came running giggling in delight and quickly hid behind Assan and peered over his shoulder where he sat on the ground "Please don't say I'm here!" She giggled out. Two other children came out from the same direction clearly looking for her and she quieted her giggles and leaned to Assan's back. He had been stiff at first but her giggles had relaxed him and he smiled slightly and kept quiet about her before they moved on running the way they thought she had left. 

"Assan, meet my oldest, Isla" Enansal sounded amused "Isla, this is Assan, he is my brother." 

She came out from her hiding place and looked at Assan then dropped into his lap and crossed her legs as she sat faced to him. Assan gave her a small smile. She looked at him thoughtfully before reaching up with her little hands and touched his hair. 

"You're not old, why are your hair white?" She asked with a childish innocence. 

"It's been white for as long as I remember, it came with my marks" he said and she stroke her hand on his chin. 

"Did Falon'din make your hair white?" she asked and Enansal chuckled lightly. 

"Assan has lost his memory da'len, why don't you explain who you speak of?" He offered 

The little girl stared up at Assan with wide eyes and then began telling about the elven gods and Assan listened with interest, somewhere deep down he almost knew these tales didn't he? They were so new but somehow so pushing familiar. When she was done speaking it had grown darker and most of the camp had joined by the fire. Assan had made sure to suck it all up like a sponge, had asked questions and showed interest. Whenever Isla didn't know Enansal would make sure to fill in or someone else of the adults. 

Velahari joined by Enansal's side with a little red haired toddler in her arms and she smiled at him and the rest of the night was spent talking between most of the clan along with dinner. The clan elder began telling a story. Isla had stayed in his lap all the evening and didn't seem to have any plans on leaving when she fell asleep on him. Assan missed Fenris, they had been on the run for quite some time, they hadn't been cuddling or sleeping close and been a couple but they had been... well.. they had been something. 

Velahari smiled sadly "you left someone?" she asked gently to him and he looked to her and sighed. 

"Not really.. Fenris came with me but we parted. We took different directions, he is looking for someone else, I'll meet him soon enough" he said and smiled 

"So he is your friend then?" she asked 

"I wouldn't be here without him, he pulled me out of Minrathous." 

"Then you have to thank him from us" Enansal said and smiled "But I suggest we go to sleep. I will teach you some things that can be valuable for traveling in the forest" he said and then gently picked up Isla. They all decided it was a good idea to head to bed, Velahari promised she would help with some tips and tricks that a huntress possessed. 

The last thing Assan thought was that he wished this could last forever.


	11. You look Dalish

Velahari was a good teacher, after a couple of hours he had learned a couple of good things for surviving nature for when he was leaving again. He spent some time with his brother and his children. He let Isla and her friend braid his long hair and when they were done he had feathers braided into his white and black hair. 

When he was about to leave the keeper took him to the side, she had a favor to ask. There was apparently going to be a meeting with Templars, Mages and the chantry and she wondered if he could go there and find out what the outcome would be then send word to them. He accepted, they had been nothing but kind and friendly to him and he wanted to give something back. 

He said goodbye to his brother and promised he'd be back at times just to socialize with them, that he'd bring Fenris some time so they would get to meet with him too. He left the clan with some new things, a better jacket, one for a hunter and it was much warmer than his Tevinter jacket, a set of lock picks and some rope. 

It didn't take him long, about a day worth of walking before he saw armored men heading for the same direction as robed people that without doubt were mages. Assan quietly followed keeping a distance for a while until a human woman walked up beside him and he nearly bolted by fear but stayed. 

"You look dalish" she said and smiled. 

"...I am not Dalish" he said in reply. 

"Why are you here? You don't look like a mage, certainly not a templar" she stated, She was sounding very young she couldn't be over twenty five and she seemed naively innocent. 

"I am not a mage, nor a templar." 

"I am a sister of the chantry, my name is Celia. I just took my vows, I hope this will solve the war, isn't it exciting that we will be part of history writing peace?"

She seemed so innocent it almost hurt. Assan weren't even sure if she knew how bad it was out there. He weren't interested in being part of history, he would prefer to stay hidden. But with so many templars around, how big was the chance of a Tevinter magister would dare to come and cause an argue when they were there? Especially sense the templars here didn't seem anything like the ones in Tevinter.

"I am Assan." 

"You don't speak much do you?" she asked with a giggle. "So, if you are not Dalish then where are you from?" 

Assan had a feeling that saying previous Tevinter slave was not the thing to say here, nor did he want her to know it so he just sighed deeply and thought of something good to say. 

"I don't fill the silence of idle chats, but if you want to I will listen" he decided to offer to her. 

Of course after about thirty minutes he wished he wouldn't have because this woman had so many things to say. After another hour however he had learned she didn't have very many friends, that she hadn't had anyone but the maker to speak to in a long while. She was twenty three, had a younger sister, her mother had been so proud when she had taken her vows. She had lived in Denerim most of her life, but luckily she had been sent away with her sister and mother during the blight, her father had died of it while trying to defend the city when the two wardens had defeated the archdemon. 

She told him how the chantry was supposed to side with the templars because divine supremacy was what gave the templars their status but the divine had apparently seen the injustice of things. She told how it all had began in Kirkwall with a loud BOOM and then the mages had pulled away from the circles. Assan was surprised to hear how different things were here from Tevinter.

The two parted when they arrived but she asked if they might could speak more later and Assan promised her he'd listen to her later. It made her shine up again before she headed off and Assan chuckled lightly and shook his head. She was a strange woman but he sort of liked her she clearly didn't mean any harm to anyone, she just wanted someone to talk to and for the wars to end. 

He remembered walking around some more around the conclave then nothing before he was running chased through strange landscape slave hunters. He were running stumbling up over some stairs, a woman held her hand out for him. He reached it and a flashing light drowned his every senses before he fell to his knees on the solid ground before he fell over and lost consciousness. 


	12. I will try sometime and tell you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter just to let you know where Fenris is.

When they had parted Fenris hadn't been entirely sure where to go, but he had decided to take the road and find any city that was not Denerim sense they were supposed to meet in Denerim so Fenris didn't want to pull Danarius or any slavers attention in that direction. 

Fenris soon found the chaos that was the Templar and Mage mess. He had been attacked more than once by rouge templars and he had fought them back, first it had just been in defense but soon his memories had been jogged, how he had once moved as one with his sword and the lyrium in the body, ripping people apart until they would have to be swept up from the ground with a brush. 

When he had moved around he head found Redcliffe as a base for mages. That of course meant he wouldn't even step a foot so much as close to the village, instead he headed on passed through a village heavily bloodstained and got a room in the tavern for one night. The coin he had pick pocketed from some wealthy nobleman. It had been easy because her had remembered something about it. 

_"So elf, that thing you do with your hand,"_

_"I can already tell this isn't going anywhere pleasant."_

_"I bet that makes pick pocketing easier."_

_"I will try it sometime and let you know."_

He didn't remember who had suggested it but he owed someone a thank you because it did indeed make picking pockets easy, a hand slid in without being noticed then gone along with a coin purse. It was nice to get the blood cleaned off and he tried hard to rub the blood off his armor. In the end his clothes were a bit stained but they didn't look as bad as before. 

He made sure to keep track of time, four days had gone, ten to go. He hoped that Assan was fine wherever he were, he regretted leaving Assan's side. So much was uncertain and Assan was by no means a warrior. By now Fenris only hoped he was small and quick enough to get out of the way for the war. 

He asked around for Varric Tethras, no one seemed to know where he were, and no one wanted to actually talk with the strange looking elf with a strange Tevinter like armor, the last thing everyone needed was Tevinter problems. 

He stayed just one day before moving on for the next village. He spent a week this way, moving around trying to find any kind of information he could, by day five had learn some rumors about Varric having been brought for the divine to tell the tale of the champion. Fenris had began move the direction towards Haven but when the sky tore open in an explosion Fenris lost his goal. Varric was not important anymore, what was important was finding Assan.

So instead of Haven he began moving towards Denerim, if he were lucky Assan would have realized the danger and was on his way the same direction and they could meet up earlier. Safest would probably be leaving Ferelden, not that he knew where they should go. Tevinter was not the best of options. 

The world had quickly become a strange place, the sky was green and had a tear in it, wherever Fenris turned he found rifts with demons pulling through. He guessed it was rifts of the fade because his lyrium marks always began pulsing and pulling around them like if they wanted to be part of the fade. He tried to deny it at first but he soon stopped that because it was draining, better to just let the marks glow up and flare, that way he didn't get exhausted fighting himself. 

When he found his way to Denerim it had gone eleven days sense he had parted from Assan. The breach had just yesterday snapped and changed and the word was pretty much the same everywhere. The Divine was dead, along with everyone who had tried to restore order in Thedas, someone had stepped out of a rift, closed the breach, they said it was an elf that was now called the Herald of Andraste.

There was no sight of Assan in the tavern and Fenris got a room, he would wait for six days, three days until the two weeks was up, then three days in case he was delayed, then he would go to try to find Assan's clan, the one called Lavellan then he would go back to Tevinter to make sure Danarius hadn't caught him. 


	13. Waking up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assan wakes up in Haven, however chaining an ex slave and keeping him in a dungeon can pull out painful memories...

When Assan woke up again he was disoriented at first as he looked around in the dark of the room, no a basement... Why a basement? He suddenly turned tense and tried to get up only causing him to fall over to his side and he fought the panic in him, strong arms grabbed him, maybe to pull him up but sudden memories had pushed into his head and it made him scream and trash around trying to get free.

_He was shackled to chains around his neck, hands and feet. He had already white glowing marks over his back, chest, legs and upper arms. Strong arms were keeping his head tilted back and on place when the glowing, burning, freezing agonizing pain began burning into his neck and up his throat by the mage in front of him._

_"Please.. St... Stop!"_

_His voice was gurgled, strained and broken after hours upon hours of pain. Even the hours he was let rest on hurt. A hard yank to his hair to pull his head better back made him stop begging. He hand crossed his face slapping him._

_"Now now my little pet, stop moving around or I will get these wrong."_

_His masters words were calm and calculated and filled of the threat making the elf try his best to be still. But when the pain kept going he cried out in pain and tried to push back but more strong hands grabbed his head keeping it steady while the pain were digging deep into his throat._

He kept trashing about trying to get out of the hands of the person who were trying to keep him steady, his eyes were wild by fear and tears were staining his cheeks while the memories were rushing in his head. 

"Let him go! That is not helping!" 

Assan barely heard the woman who barked orders but the hands dropped him and he scrambled the opposite direction until his back his a beam and he looked down in the floor tense and shaking. The only solution to the riddle of where he were was that Danarius had caught up with him and he were about to be punished. He felt his eyes sting and looked down in the floor. 

Cassandra had been furious, frightened and crushed. The divine was dead, along with anyone who could possibly take her place, the only man she had ever enjoyed in a more romantic level  was also dead and they had a suspect that most likely had done it. When she heard that he had began waking up her anger had flared up again. But now that she stood there, the elf trashing around screaming and kicking. She could have assumed he was still the one who had caused all this if it wasn't for the fear so evident in his eyes. He were acting like a frightened dog kicked too many times by their masters.   
Leliana who had walked in beside Cassandra looked slightly concerned as well. 

"Do you remember what happened? Do you know where you are?" Cassandra asked in a forced calm.

Assan twitched and kept his eyes on the floor, the floor was always a safe spot to look at. "No mistress."

Cassandra and Leliana looked at each other, it confirmed it. It was a servant or a slave. If it was a slave it was Tevinter, if it was Tevinter things could be even worse. Someone could have sent in an elven spy to sabotage, and Tevinter surely would be the place doing such thing. That would make it hard where to put the blame, a slave forced into do something... However those marks in his face were Dalish, but the apostate had said that they were made by lyrium. 

"I am Cassandra, this is Leliana, we are nobody's mistress. Tell me what you remember, who sent you?" She asked trying to keep the anger at bay.

Assan was a bit confused. He couldn't understand who they were, they didn't seem to be sent by Danarius. "... My name is Assan misst- my lady, I... was sent to the conclave by a clan to see if they came to a conclusion... The templar and mage threat threatens the clan." he said obediently. Maybe if he gave them what they wanted he'd be let go or at least not killed. 

"Cassandra will do fine" she said disgusted by being called mistress or my lady. She was not a fine lady. "What do you remember from the conclave? before you woke up." She asked trying to puzzle things out.

"...Running Someone was chasing me, then a woman reached out... then here. I am sorry." he said and kept his eyes low.

"How do you explain this?" She asked and leaned down and motioned to his hand.

Assan looked at his hands, they were still cuffed and the left one hurt but Assan was so used to pain he barely had even registered that his hand were hurting until now. His hand were sparkling green and the lyrium over his hand, fingers and underarm were glowing and pulsing fiercely. 

"They are lyrium." He decided to answer what he could.

"Not the lyrium, the mark on your hand." She said and sighed 

"I can't. I am no mage" he said and made a face but groaned when it pulsed in his hand with more pain.

"Go to the forwards camp Leliana, I will take him to the rift." 

The red haired woman that Assan had just briefly seen nodded and turned around leaving them alone. Cassandra was very careful on helping the elf up from the ground and unlocked his shackles letting his hands free and he quickly began rubbing his wrists. 

"What happened?" he asked and looked at her. 

"It... better I show you" she said leading Assan without touching him. She had planned on tying his hands but she couldn't it felt cruel to do such a thing to someone who reacted the way he did. 


	14. The path to the breach

They had walked out and Assan was staring with wide eyes up in the sky jaw dropping. He couldn't keep his eyes away from the green broken sky, what had happened here? he listened to Cassandra explaining about the breach and that there had been an explosion. Assan just listened without making any own comments like the good little slave he were. 

When she said that the people had decided him guilty he let his gaze back in the ground, no surprise there. When something was wrong it was always the slaves fault, he knew that by experience and he missed Fenris. If Fenris was there maybe they could run away again.. His eyes went wide. 

"How long has it been?" he asked suddenly breaking off what it was Cassandra said and she looked shocked. 

"Sense the breach opened, three days... Why?" 

Assan began counting, how long had it been then? Ten days? he had four days to get to Denerim or Fenris would go back to Tevinter and most likely get caught and brought back to Danarius. He followed her tense over the snowy landscape and shook his head. "Nothing.." 

Cassandra decided not to push it, Assan only seemed to talk when pressured into it. When they ran over a bridge it broke by a sudden light and they fell down on the ice. Cassandra engaged battle with the demon who appeared but one of them aimed in on Assan. It was by instinct that he reached in and grabbed two daggers by a box and engaged attack himself, fading in and out of the real world with his lyrium marks attacking with his knives dodging attacks.

When the fight was over Cassandra held her sword turned against him. "Drop your weapons now!" She bellowed demanding and Assan dropped them as if they had been made of poison and he bowed his head and looked to the ice by her feet. 

"I am sorry mistress." he said and swallowed hard. 

Cassandra sighed, this would be harder than she expected, she weren't used of tiptoeing around people in this way. "..No, I cannot protect you and I should remember that you came here out of free will." 

Assan waited a moment before slowly gathering up the daggers and gently put them on place to his belt then walked with her her again. She was nice for a human, not as strict and hard as Danarius had been.

After a while of continued running Assan heard the sound of swords, well he guessed it was the sound of swords, he wasn't more experienced than what he had heard in the forest while looking for his clan. 

"We are close to the rift, I can hear the fighting from here" she called. 

Assan wondered who was fighting but he didn't ask, he only asked if he could help it. He soon found out anyway as he saw a couple of soldiers, human what he could tell with shining swords and shields, a dwarf with a crossbow, a bald elf that clearly was a mage and they were all fighting demons pouring out of the the green rift.

When Assan came closer to the rift all his marks began pulsing and flaring and he took advantage of that when he dove into the fight beside Cassandra, loyally keeping by her side. 

For a moment when Varric saw something white and glowing in a blueish glow he thought it was Fenris. But the hair was too long, there was no broadsword and the fighting style was rougeish speed and not a warriors strength. Also Varric knew Fenris was in Tevinter, he still cursed Hawke for selling out the broody elf, there was a reason why Varric had left Hawke's side after the battle with Meredith. 

The last shade was vanquished by the dwarf and the elf walked close to Assan and grabbed his left hand.

"Quickly! before more come through!" 

Assan stared in horror at the mage for a moment but then gasped and stared at his hand when it connected to the rift, it felt like strings that reached into the fade fighting the tear before sealing it shut with a slam and a wave that pushed everyone back some steps then the mark in his hand stopped glowing along with his lyrium marks and Assan pulled away from the bald elf stumbling backwards from him. He was terrified of the mage more than he was the human. Enansal had not been the same thing, he had not been dangerous. 

"What did you do?" he asked quietly and looked down in his hand following the new scar there. 

"I did nothing the credit is yours." He said with a small smile. 

Assan didn't reply, he just kept his gaze in the ground and gave only a small nod to show he had heard. 

"Whatever magic used to create the breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized that they could also close the rifts that have opened in the breach's wake... It seems I was correct." The elf kept talking and Assan listened but made no motion to add any own thoughts. 

"Meaning that it could close the breach as well." Cassandra put in and stood beside Assan looking at Solas for answers.

"Possibly." he agreed "It seem that you holds the key to our salvation." The elf said while he had his hands in front of him clasped together. 

"Good to know, and here I thought we would be ass-deep in trouble forever." The dwarf said while he were correcting his gloves. "Varric Tethras: Rouge, storyteller and occasional unwelcome tag along." He said and winked at Cassandra who rolled her eyes. 

Assan lifted his head slightly however and looked at Varric but didn't meet his eyes. "Did you write about the champion?" he asked tilting his head. Fenris had been looking for a Varric, maybe he was here. Assan was filled with hope all of a sudden. 

"Ah, yes, yes that was me." he said and sighed then chuckled lightly "That's actually why I am here." 

"Is Fenris here?" Assan asked and looked hopeful 

"I'm sorry glowy... He's back in Tevinter, he.. ended up being found by his former master and taken away I'm afraid." He said and looked at him properly, the same kind of marks glowing when there was a fight. "But if the question is if he could do that, yes, he had lyrium tattoos too."  

Assan's shoulders slumped down and he looked down. Fenris wasn't here... He would have to get to Denerim in four days, if Fenris was even still alive. But first they had to deal with the hole in the sky.

They soon headed on in collected group. 


	15. The condition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assan joins the inquisition on one condition. That they take him to Denerim.

Closing the breach nearly took all Assan had and he had fell back unconscious. Of course not as long as the first time, he woke up just the next day.

When he opened his eyes a loud clinking sound made him fly up of the bed startled. He was in a bed, what was he doing in bed at this hour? He had overslept, where was Fenris? When he looked at whoever had made the sound there was an  elven woman looking just as startled and nervous as he did. 

"Oh! I didn't know you were awake! I swear!" The woman was clearly frightened and Assan didn't understand who she was frightened by.

"Who?" he asked and looked around wildly for his former master with fear in his eyes.

"That's wrong, I said the wrong thing!" She fell down on her knees and Assan almost followed her to the floor out of instinct of survival. "I beg your forgiveness and your blessing for I am but a humble servant."

Assan felt like he'd be sick, she was doing this commotion for his sake? He was not a master. He was a slave that the other slaves didn't like very much because he and Fenris was very special for Danarius. Even had a shared bed and bedroom. He quietly walked closer and sat down on his knees beside her and waited until she looked at him with wide eyes. 

"My lord..?" She asked uncertain and Assan made a face. 

"I.. There is nothing about me that is my lord, I serve... Served a master" He said quietly 

The woman looked at him with wide eyes as she looked at him but seemed to relax the slightest and they both stood up from the floor actually looking at each other. Assan saw her take a calming breath and he waited patiently. 

The elf began explaining to him that they were back safe in Haven. The sky was mended but not entirely healed, rifts were still opened in the entire land. She told him about the latest news and rumors among the servants, she told him that they were calling him the Herald of Andraste and people around Haven seemed to be glad he was around now instead of wishing him dead. Then she told him that Cassandra waited in the chantry to speak to him.

"Could.. you do me a favor?" he asked "...There might be another elf around, or come by, white hair, white marks.. If you see him could you tell me?" he asked her 

She smiled slightly as she were backing and nodded "Of course. I will tell some people to hold their eyes open." She said before she left. 

Assan knew that slaves and servants knew everything about everything in a household, if you wanted information you found it there. When he walked out to go to the chantry there was people outside all turning towards him and he awkwardly kept his eyes in the ground as he quickly and quietly walked the path and quickly hurried inside to get away from everyone's looks. 

The chantry was not the largest building he'd seen and he walked over the floor to the door where people were shouting from. He soundlessly opened the door and walked inside without a word and closed the door as quiet he could. At first they didn't seem to have noticed then one in chantry clothes spoke up. 

"Chain him, I want him ready for travel to the capital at once." 

Assan nearly turned around at the spot to run. But Cassandra spoke up before he had the time and her words were calming as she told them all to ignore those orders. Some people clearly still didn't like him around here. The man began throwing accusations and the red haired woman threw them straight back at him, that he was conveniently not there at the time and other things. 

After some arguing between each other Cassandra dropped a large book on the table and Assan hoped no one would ask him to read it, he had no idea how to read. The chantry man left but clearly angry and upset, Cassandra began explaining to Assan about the inquisition and Assan's eyes were now instead at the book on the table, an improvement from the floor according to cassandra. 

"...You are asking me to stay?" He asked not entirely sure what they wanted. 

"The accusations still lies heavy to you, we can only protect you if you stay" Cassandra said. 

Assan moved his feet nervously. Fenris had said they could not stop at any place for too long or they'd be caught again... "...Could I be allowed to go to Denerim first?" He asked cautiously. 

"What for?" The male human asked. 

"I promised to meet someone there after fourteen days... eleven of those has passed and he will worry..." 

"We can send agents" Leliana offered

Assan shook his head quickly, he didn't even know how Fenris would react to that. "No, he won't accept your word for it." He said excusing. "If you let me go to Denerim I will help with the breach." He finally decided

The three humans were looking at each other then Josephine pointed out that was a fair trade. Cassandra nodded with a sigh as Cullen suggested that Assan should bring some people with him before they leave Assan accepted, he anyway didn't know the way to Denerim, not really. They would head off after they had spread out words about the inquisition. 

Assan quietly walked out on his own and walked around for a while before he found a quiet place to wait just outside the gates and watched the soldiers practice. He was used to people stare at him for his hair, his markings, his everything. Usually he would have been fine with it but now... Now it was simply uncomfortable sense he was supposed to stay hidden from Danarius. 

They left not two hours later while it was still light outside, it would take then three days just to get there and it would mean they would be there precisely the day on the two weeks mark. Assan still spoke little on the travel and only if the others asked him something. When Varric asked who they were meeting with on the second day Assan only answered that they were meeting with a friend. 

When they came to Denerim the sun were blazing in the sky and Assan looked around nervously. If he wouldn't find Fenris that would mean he was dead or taken and he felt sick to his stomach. 

"So, where are we meeting your friend?" Varric asked. 

"The Tavern..." Assan replied slowly as they walked keeping his eyes up now, he couldn't afford to potentially miss Fenris. Varric was the one who found the right way and they walked inside. Not too many people were around and Assan felt worse for every minute that passed that he couldn't see white hair and a huge sword. Assan walked up to the bar and gently asked about Fenris and got the message that he'd be waiting in the warehouse. He also got the location. Assan was puzzled as they walked out. 

"Why would he want to meet at a warehouse?" he asked and shook his head but then shrugged. 

"Well warehouses make excellent meeting spots if you intend to attack someone, weren't you followed? Maybe he simply wanted anyone following in a place he could trap them on?" Varric suggested and Assan figured that was a good explanation as ever. 

As they walked into the warehouse however the uneasy feeling came back, as he walked some steps inside. Something was wrong. Really wrong, and it only took seconds for the wrong to reveal itself by the shape of a blocked exit and an attack.

Well, wasn't this familiar, they were in a secluded place, a lyrium infused elf, a warrior and a mage attacked by a group of slave hunters. Varric felt just like home as he exclaimed. 

"Slavers."


	16. Varric tells the truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They unite with Fenris and Varric tells them the true tale about how Fenris ended up in Tevinter again.

The attack had barely started before it was ended, and who ended it was not Assan, Varric, Cassandra or Solas, who ended it was a white haired elf with a broad sword who had charged through the door breaking the locks and then attacked with fury and hate. 

Varric thought he had remembered the mess the brooding elf used to cause in Kirkwall but now that there was blood and body parts just about all over the place, he realized he hadn't done it justice in his books. Varric quickly puzzled things together however. 

"We could have questioned them! Now we will never know what they wanted!" Cassandra said not amused at all. 

Fenris just sent her a bored look then he walked over to Assan and put his armored hand to the shorter elf's cheek and looked in his eyes with concern and question. It was not just that, this look was something else too, it was still those big puppy eyes but they were more alive as if he was a puppy looking to his favorite thing in the world and he can actually have it. 

"Are you hurt?" 

Oh yes, Broody clearly had something deep for this elf, in a way, Varric was happy for him. Then he was concerned, he didn't want his heart ripped out because of Hawke's life choices, and a especially bad choice to give Fenris back to his old master, a decision Varric or any of the others hadn't actually agreed on. Well blondie didn't mourn very much.

"No, it's just a scratch"

Varric heard Assan reply as Fenris was looking over his face finding a small cut on his cheek. Varric quietly thought this would make a great story one day, the two elven slaves from Tevinter with their strange lyrium marks and quiet ways. 

"When the  sky torn open I... grew concerned. But I did not know where to find you" The deep voice hesitated in the use of words, if they were in a relationship, they can't have gone far in it. 

"I was doing a favor for the clan" he mumbled sheepishly "The keeper asked me to find out what the outcome was to the conclave.. I don't remember things exploding but I was in the middle of it.." 

Varric saw the familiar tension in Fenris, the way he clenched his jaw as he did when he was fearing something, especially fearing for someone's life. 

"Are you hurt?" Fenris repeated. 

"No. Not really.." Assan held up his left hand and Fenris took it and looked at the scar and it pulsed green when Fenris stroke a lyrium marked finger over it. 

"Magic?" 

"I.. don't know, I am no mage" 

"How did you...?" 

"I don't remember, it closes.. rifts." 

Varric weren't sure he had heard it right but Fenris chuckled slightly looking amused and Assan huffed offended. 

"You find this funny?" he asked showing how not amused he was. 

"You are the herald of Andraste everyone is speaking about? An escaped elven slave? I do find it funny." 

Assan puffed up his cheeks in a very annoyed manner but Fenris just leaned in and kissed his lips making him stop. Assan made a half hearted try to protest before Fenris pulled back and then turned to the people who had accompanied Assan and looked at them suspiciously sending Solas a glare.  
Varric held his breath when the elf stopped to look at him but clearly the pieces did not click together as they should because it was no real recognition in Fenris's eyes. 

"Is this Fenris? From your book Varric?" 

Varric could curse the seeker back to Navarra for that one because Fenris' eyes narrowed as he were looking him over again. 

"Yes, but I didn't tell everything in my books seeker." Varric admitted. "Perhaps this is a conversation to be held somewhere where we are not standing in a pile of body parts?" he suggested. 

Assan looked around and nodded agreeing. The company walked outside and back towards the Tavern then to the small room Fenris was staying in. Fenris needed to get the stains off his clothes and face, at least the worst ones and no one would be listening in on them there. 

Varric made himself comfortable on the chair in the room, Solas leaned to a wall and Cassandra stood with crossed arms. Assan sat on the edge of the bed with the broadsword leaned to the bed between his legs and shoulder. Varric knew Fenris didn't like to put his sword away, especially when there was people around but giving it to Assan was apparently something he was comfortable with and felt it wouldn't be taken away from him. 

When Fenris was done and stood with crossed arms and looked at him Varric sighed and tried to figure where to start. 

"We met you in Kirkwall, you actually hired a woman named Hawke to help with a couple of slavers that were after you.." And Varric told him the entire tale how they had killed the slavers, found Danarius mansion empty, the deep roads expedition Hadriana and how Fenris killed her but told her about a sister, about the very short lived romance between Fenris and Hawke, how when they had had a night of passion she had rocked loose Fenris memories and he had left her as things had gone too fast. 

"Then you got contact with your sister and payed her to be able to come to Kirkwall, she was meant to meet us at the hanged man so we all went there, Hawke, you, me, Daisy and Blondie... When we walked inside, the place was empty and it didn't take long until Danarius came to meet us..." 

Varric hesitated and looked a bit troubled. it was something he had thought for for years. It was so wrong he couldn't understand how it had been allowed to happen, maybe they should all have done something, they could have taken out Danarius and his guards if they had fought for it without Hawke. But Fenris had been broken of betrayal, Anders would simply have sided with Hawke in doing nothing and that would have left Varric and Merrill to fight over twenty people. 

"Your sister had lead them to you. When Hawke spoke to Danarius she.. well she must have still been upset you abandoned her after.. well, after you had had that thing and she gave you back to Danarius. We didn't agree with her choice but she had already made up her mind and we couldn't really do anything." Varric looked at Fenris cautious and then sighed.

"We got a letter later telling that your memories had been adjusted and that you were back in Danarius service."


	17. Of Magisters and marks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fenris says a couple of things that may hurt more than intended. A normal person might be able to brush it off as misdirected anger, another ex slave of Tevinter might not.

"She sold me to slavery!"

Fenris marks were glowing furiously and Assan were on his feet holding Fenris back by his shoulders to stop him from attacking Varric for telling the tale. Varric had got up on his feet and was ready to move out of the room and Cassandra stood in the middle ready for a fight.

"I know! I heard it Fenris, it won't help to kill the dwarf!" Assan scolded. 

Fenris relaxed slightly but Assan did not move away from where he held Fenris shoulders tightly as both men's marks were still glowing and pulsing of energy. 

"We didn't want her to do it, we didn't have a choice, me and Daisy couldn't take out all those people and you had.. Well given up." Varric sounded regretful and Assan believed in that sound. Varric was a good man. 

"Kaffas! What did you expect!" Fenris snarled back. "That I would take it kindly to be sold back to a man who enjoys his pets! Fasta vass!" 

"We escaped!" Assan said loudly  to be heard. 

"No thanks to her! Show me to her now dwarf! I will rip out her heart myself!" Fenris growled and pushed forwards again making Assan yelp and push back to Stop him from doing anything they would regret. If Fenris really felt for it he could have simply pushed Assan aside but in luck for everyone involved Fenris cared a great deal for the other lyrium marked elf. 

"Fenris! stop! Look there is a hole in the sky, I can close it but I can't on my own, when we are with the inquisition... well Danarius can't come and claim us can he?" He asked turning his head slightly to Cassandra. 

"No he cannot" She confirmed and Solas stood quietly watching. It was clear Fenris did not take kindly to mages it would be foolish for him to intervene.

"Until they decide to sell us back to!" Fenris growled. "For a fetching price when you're touched by magic I assure!" Fenris hissed out "What are you now? Half mage! A filthy magister to be?!"

Assan backed a step as if Fenris had slapped him across the face, his eyes widened and face had completely dropped before he looked into the floor, ears sloped before turning around and walking out without a word in silence. Fenris just glared after him. Cassandra quickly followed Assan along with Solas. Varric was the only one who stayed and sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"Broody...I know you're angry but the kid didn't choose the mark in his hand... Come to Haven when you feel like it... He really likes you, they're not bad people." Varric said calmly before he also left

Assan in silence walked out of the tavern. There was nothing holding him back there. Fenris saw him like he saw the mages, maybe he should, maybe Assan was tainted in it so much that he was beyond repair. He pulled a deep breath that burned in his chest and tears stung in his eyes while he steered his steps towards the city gates. They were going back to Haven, Fenris could do anything he wanted. 

That thought hurt even more and he felt a tear burning down his cheek and his heart clench painfully. He ignored Cassandra when she tried to speak and just snapped a "I don't want to hear it." without even having listened to her words. He didn't speak to any of them even if Varric tried a number of times. He only stopped when Assan's lyrium marks and the green mark in his hand flared up dangerously telling that he was stepping on dangerous waters. 

Back at Haven Assan ignored everyone for three days before agreeing to listen to what they had to say as long as they were not on about his personal life. They suggested to speak to a mother Giselle who was tending to refugees in the Hinterlands and Assan had to say  the idea was a good one because it meant he would be allowed to lash out on renegade templars and rebel mages and pretend that his problems were all because of those people.

Said and done, Assan, Cassandra, Varric and Solas headed out and Assan took a couple of detours simply to get into more fights. He faded in and out in the battles cut throats pulled out internal organs with his hands crushed hearts and created a mess around him. He had never been good at that, not that he knew of, he was not a warrior, he was a rouge at most but what he knew was how to be an entertainer.

He was blood stained and made quite the picture when he walked up to mother Giselle, but when he spoke to her he kept a polite civil tone. Things wouldn't be better by him snapping at her. She suggested that they would go to Val Royeaux, speak to the chantry. Assan thanked her for her help and gave a polite smile before they moved on. They didn't go at once, he had some business to attend here. The royal highway were loitered by Templars and mages and Assan were determined to root them all out. 

He kept telling himself this had nothing to do with Fenris. Him and Fenris had not been more than one night then on the run together. Assan kept telling himself he didn't need him, he didn't need anyone but himself friends and love was for children. Yet, here he was in the middle of a forest knee high in apostate blood driving his hand though the chest of a the last surprised mage and his own chest hurt.. Everything hurt, breathing, moving, walking, talking existing, it all hurt and he couldn't make it stop no matter how hard he tried to ignore it all. 

He gave up a cry of anger or hurt pulling his hand out and the body sank to the ground and with it Assan fell to his knees crying silently. tears just spilling over without his consent and his head lulled forwards. The blood in his face was smearing out with his tears. 

Varric sighed and walked over, really he had expected something like this happening ever sense they walked away from Denerim, he had just hoped it had been back at Haven. 

"Come on kid, let's get you back to Haven. You need a drink." 

"I can't move, it hurt... why..?" Assan asked in a broken sob. He had never been in love, the elf didn't know what love was, he had seen it between his brother and Velahari but he had not understood it. It had never happened to him. 

Varric could have cursed every decision in his life leading him here, he should have realized the kid had never had anyone but Fenris. Which meant he had an unstable very new ex slave that knew nothing but slavery, who had the ability to reach into someones chest and shake around some until everything was broken in there, and Varric had to explain love. He had written tragedies before, he knew one when he saw it. 

"Because it's love kid, that hurt."

He said gently and tried steering Assan up on his feet. After some coaxing and the promise of heavy alcohol Assan finally accepted and followed Varric with his head hanging low and his eyes on the ground. He was covered with blood and looked entirely broken. Neither in the group said anything as they made their way back. None said anything when Varric steered Assan to the tavern without even getting cleaned up. 

Many glasses of vile ale Assan was no longer having sudden bursts of tears staining his cheeks mixing in the dried blood but  just stared into his half empty tankard while Varric told him about love, told him stories but all he got out of it some hours later was the drinks dulling out his pain and making him more tired. Later Varric helped Assan to his own bed and the elf dropped in it, still dressed in his armor stained by dry blood. 

When Assan woke up in the morning it was with an additional headache, as if he didn't have enough pain in his body. He washed up and got into his old Tevinter clothes. His jacket that he hadn't worn sense he met with his clan several days ago still had a hint of Fenris scent in them from the long nights they had sat cuddled together on the ship. It made his heart hurt but at the same time he craved it, the last of Fenris he'd ever have. The thought made him tear up again and he quickly dried his tears off and headed out for the day.

**Author's Note:**

> So I am just giving this a little try spin to see if anyone's interested to read it. I am not entirely sure where I am going with this. I hope somewhere happy because I love Fenris and he deserves better!


End file.
